Date: 

04/01/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Erin Mooney, (703) 284-9408, TU National Press Secretary

TU Purgatoire River Anglers Chapter Receives $5,000 Grant to Restore Purgatoire River

Trinidad, Colo.-- Trout Unlimited (TU), the nation's oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization, today awarded a $5,000 Embrace-A-Stream grant to its Purgatoire River Anglers Chapter in Trinidad, Colorado. The chapter is partnering with the city of Trinidad, the Trinidad Community Foundation and other local and state agencies to improve the health of the Purgatoire River and its fishery.

The Purgatoire River, a free-flowing trout stream, was dammed in the 1970s to create Trinidad Lake. Low winter flows and poor structure in the river has prevented a sustainable trout population. The $5,000 Embrace-A-Stream grant will allow the Purgatoire River Anglers to do an initial evaluation of the Purgatoire's aquatic and riparian habitat and to develop a master plan for restoring the river, from the Trinidad Lake State Park dam through the town of Trinidad to the Highway 160 bypass—approximately 4 ¾ miles of river.

The chapter's effort will also involve public education and awareness through river walks, a stream clean-up day and fly-fishing classes.

Embrace-A-Stream is the flagship grant program for funding TU grassroots conservation efforts.  Funding is provided primarily through the support of TU members, with additional support in 2010 provided by Costa del Mar and the FishAmerica Foundation.  An Embrace-A-Stream Committee comprised of TU volunteer representatives and scientific advisors evaluates all proposed projects and makes the awards.

In 2010, the Embrace-A-Stream program will provide over $125,000 to 24 projects in 15 states. Projects will address stream habitat restoration, improving fish passage and protecting water quality.  Many of the projects will benefit eastern brook trout from Maine to Georgia, and will help protect cutthroat trout in the West as well as coho and Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest.  Since the program's inception in 1976, Embrace-A-Stream has funded more than 950 individual projects totaling approximately $4 million. As a result of this funding from Embrace-A-Stream, the projects have leveraged more than $12.7 million in additional funding.

"Through the hard work of TU members across the country, we are able to put our organization's mission into action," said Bryan Moore, Vice President for Volunteer Operations and Watershed Programs.  "TU's grassroots members work tirelessly to protect and restore the nation's coldwater resources so that they will exist for generations to come."   

Trout Unlimited is North America's leading coldwater fisheries conservation organization, with more than 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

Pioneer Natural Resources has generously donated to the Purgatoire River Anglers TU Chapter the $450 fee for a local youth to attend the Colorado Trout Unlimited (CTU) River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp, six days in June at the Beaver Run Trout Ranch near Aspen.

The camp is described on the CTU website as “designed to educate students on the importance of coldwater conservation and provide hands-on fly-fishing instruction. Approximately 20 students are selected each year, based on their qualifications and a written essay on why they would like to attend the camp.

“Our hope is that kids who attend our camp today will become the conservation leaders of tomorrow… It’s important for these students to understand the value of healthy streams and clean water and how they relate to our everyday lives. The camp curriculum has been structured to provide the necessary foundation for that education.”

The 2010 scholarship from Pioneer has been awarded to Henry Moltrer, a 15 year old from Hoehne High School.  Henry is involved in FFA for agriculture, football, basketball and baseball.  He stated in his application essay that he dreams of becoming a Colorado Game Warden, and he enjoys hunting and fishing year round. 

Other boys or girls, aged 14-18, interested in this camp are encouraged to apply early in 2011 and contact the Purgatoire River Anglers TU Chapter to apply for the camp fee scholarship.  Further details are available on www.cotrout.org under the Conservation tab. 

 Friends, Families and Membersmet at Lathrop State Park west of Walsenburg to clean up trash and brush along the shoreline of Martin Lake. The lake is currently drained for dam repair. Both our chapter and Pueblo’s Southern Colorado Greenbacks TU chapter participated.  Please click on the blue link above to see some photos of this event.

Comcast Cleanup at Trinidad and the Purgatoire River

Comcast held it annual Trinidad, Colorado Clean up on April 24, 2010.  Several hundred volunteers were present to take part in this effort.  Chapter 100, Purgatoire River Anglers (PRA) were part of the volunteers who participated.  Before the clean up started, chapter passed out TU information and invited others to join our organization. The PRA worked the Purgatoire River area owned by the city of Trinidad.  The effort was very successful in that two very large trash bins were completely full just from the Purgatoire River area.  This link has some photos taken by the Chapter Photographer, Kellie Hayes of this huge clean up effort.  We appreciate Comcast for organizing and sponsoring this project and for the outstanding picnic served afterward.

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